Who We AreMassillon Baptist Temple is a family of faith and a place for you to call home where you will find hope and help. You will find our church is filled with friendly, compassionate people who extend a warm welcome. Although we are not perfect people, our lives and journeys display God’s marvelous grace and goodness. We understand that visiting any church, especially a larger one, for the very first time can be a difficult experience. It’s our desire to put you at ease. Your first visit to Massillon Baptist Temple will be refreshing, friendly, and enjoyable for your whole family. We want you to experience inspiring worship, helpful teaching and preaching, friendly people, and a place where you feel welcome and “at home.”

We would love to have a chance to meet you and worship God together with you very soon! Here are a few answers to your questions and what you might expect on your first visit.

Where Do I Park?The main entrances can be accessed from the large parking lot in the rear of the building. There are handicapped spots closest to the building on Overlook Avenue as well as beside the Bruce D. Cummons Chapel. There is a “drop off area” in the rear of the church.

What Happens When I Arrive?You will be greeted by a friendly member and given a church bulletin and a warm smile. If you’ve come at 10 AM you will be directed to the Adult Sunday School and children to their respective Sunday School classes. If you’ve come for the 11 AM Worship Service, you may go into the main auditorium, there is ample seating in our beautiful 1400 seat auditorium. If you are visiting, we have an informational packet that we’d like to give you at the beginning of our worship service. Inside this packet you will find information about our ministries and an information card.

What About my Children?We have prepared for your visit. Our nurseries for three year olds and under are clean and well-staffed, and our programs for children four years old through fifth grade are well-organized, fun, and Bible-centered. There is something for everyone. All of our classes are led by friendly and well-qualified teachers and helpers who will make church exciting and memorable for your children.

Our church has a lot of rooms, which to a guest can seem overwhelming at first. We are here to help you find the appropriate classes and services for every person in your family. Our greeters and ushers are located around the building as well as in the lobby of the main hallway and will gladly help direct and even escort you to the right place.

In addition to Sunday School, toddlers through grade six have their own service at 11 AM (Junior Church). See the Children’s Ministry portion of our website for a more complete description of this ministry.

What About my Teens? Our student ministries are broken down into three main divisions: Junior, Junior High, and High School. The teens attend a class for one hour and then the worship service another hour with their parents. Learn more about each class under the ministries link.

What is Your Worship Service Like?We usually begin with a song or two, a greeting from our Pastor, and then more singing. We also have a Choir and Orchestra. We are privileged to have some incredibly talented people involved in our Music Ministries. Our services are broadcast live on the internet and at WTIG 990 AM.

We usually receive the offering somewhere during the singing, have special music, and then Pastor Thayer comes to preach a straight-forward and practical Bible message.

The service concludes with a time of “invitation” where you are welcome to come and pray on the steps at the front of the auditorium. This is never a long, awkward time, but rather a brief period where anyone can come to pray about what’s on their heart. If you do come to pray, you may request someone to pray with you.

Do You Embarrass Guests During the Service?Not if we can help it! We do have a time of greeting where the members of our church shake hands and seek to meet guests. We generally don’t point out guests during the service, or ask them to stand up. What we do is ask guests to fill out a Visitor Information Card from the Visitor Packet that they receive during the service and drop it in the offering plate during the offering time. The information helps us keep track of where our visitors come from, what their needs are, and if they’d like to know more about the church.

What About Crying Babies?There’s no need to be embarrassed. If you would like, you can take your child to the nursery where you can watch the service on the TV monitor or you can simply step out into the hall way where you can hear the service over the speakers, while your child settles down.

Do I Have to Put Money in the Offering Plate?No. We don’t invite you to Massillon Baptist Temple for your offering. We want the service to be a gift to you. Please don’t feel obligated to participate in the offering as a guest; this is a form of worship for our regular attenders. No one will look at you funny for not participating.

How Should I Dress?There is not a dress code at Massillon Baptist Temple for members or guests. Our ministry leaders and many of our church family dress in more traditional “Sunday” dress; however, our main goal is that you would feel welcome and comfortable on your visit here at Massillon Baptist!What About the Hearing Impaired?We are blessed to have gifted members of our church that interpret each service for the hearing impaired. In addition, audio headsets are available for those who need them.

Questions?Maybe there are more questions that you would like answered. We would be happy to answer your questions to the best of our ability. Give us a call at your earliest convenience. We look forward to hearing from you!